Neuronal Foundations of Visual Perception and Memory

The neuronal basis of visual perception in primates has been a subject of detailed investigation for 50 years.  Anatomical and physiological studies have revealed key features of neuronal circuitry, as well as the flow and transformation of sensory signals ascending from the retina through the cerebral cortex.  In parallel, studies of the neuronal substrates of visual associative memory have revealed how visual information is stored, and how its subsequent recall impacts visual processing and leads to visual imagery and hallucinations.  This work on visual processing and memory will be presented as a model for the exploration of large-scale systems of the brain, and one that has led to improved understanding and promise of treatment for clinical disorders of visual function.